Phylogenetic and Functional Prokaryotic Diversity in the Hoito-Gol Mesothermal Mineral Spring (Eastern Savan Mountains. Buryat Renuhlie).

High-throughput sequencing was used for comparative analysis of microbial communities of the water and mat from the Hoito-Gol mesothermal mineral sulfide spring (Eastern Sayan Mountains, Buryat Republic). Activity of microbial communities was determined. While both spring biotopes were dominated by members of three bacterial phyla, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes, they differed drastically in the composition of predominant phylotypes (at the genus level). In the water, the organisms wide spread in aquatic'environments were predominant, mostly aerobic chemoorganotrophs of the generaAcinetobacter, Pe- dobacter, and Flavobacterium. In the microbial mat,;the organisms actively involved in the sulfur cycle predominated, including sulfur-reducing bacteria Sulfurospirillum, sulfate-reducing deltaproteobacteria, sulfur- oxidizing chemoautotrophic bacteria, anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria of,the phyla Chloroflexi and Chloro- bi, as well as purple bacteria belonging to the Q-, P--, and y-Proteobacteria. Microbial mats of the spring exhibited higher phylogenetic diversity compared to high-temperature mats containing photosynthetic microorganisms.

[A laboratory model of the cyanobacterial mat from the Kotel'nikovskii hot spring (Baikal Region)].

A laboratory model of the cyanobacterial community of the Kotel'nikovskii hot spring (Baikal Region) was developed. A step-by-step description of the algocenosis formation along both the time and temperature gradient was given. The natural and laboratory mats were compared, and the major differences in the qualitative and quantitative composition of the cyanobacterial community were revealed. The laboratory algocenosis was stratified by species composition and was characterized by rapid replacement of the dominant cyanobacterial species depending on the temperature gradient. The formation of the community structure occurred over the 18 days of the experiment. In space and time, the sequence of species emergence in the cyanobacterial mat was as follows: Mastigocladus laminosus --> Phormidium tenue --> Ph. ambiguum --> Ph. valderiae. The species composition of the laboratory mat was similar to that of the natural mat; however it was found to be less diverse.

[Aerobic methanotrophic communities in the bottom sediments of Lake Baikal].

The results of the first methodical investigation into the aerobic methanotrophic communities inhabiting the bottom sediments of Lake Baikal are reported. Use of the radioisotopic method revealed methane consumption in 12 10- to 50-cm-long sediment cores. The maximum methane consumption rates (495-737 microl/(dm3 day) were recorded in sediments in the regions of hydrothermal vents and oil and gas occurrence. Methane consumption was most active in the surface layers of the sediments (0-4 cm); it decreased with the sediment depth and became negligible or absent at depths below 20 cm. The number of methanotrophic bacteria usually ranged from 100 to 1000 cells/cm3 of sediment and reached 1 million cells/cm3 in the regions of oil and gas occurrence. The 17 enrichment cultures obtained were represented mainly by morphotype II methanotrophs. Phylogenetic analysis of the enrichment cultures in terms of the amino acid sequence of the alpha subunit of the membrane-bound methane monooxygenase revealed the predominance of methanotrophs of the genus Methylocystis. The results obtained suggest the presence of an active aerobic methanotrophic community in Lake Baikal.

[Bacterial processes of the methane cycle in the bottom sediments of Baikal lake]. / Bakterial'nye protsessy tsikla metana v donnykh osadkakh ozera Baikal.

The activity of methanogenic and methanotrophic bacteria was evaluated in bottom sediments of Lake Baikal. Methane concentration in Baikal bottom sediments varied from 0.0053 to 81.7 ml/dm3. Bacterial methane was produced at rates of 0.0004-534.7 microliters CH4/(dm3 day) and oxidized at rates of 0.005-1180 microliters CH4/(dm3 day). Peak methane production and oxidation were observed in Frolikha Bay near a methane vent. Methane was emitted into water at rates of 49.2-4340 microliters CH4/(m2 day). Rates of bacterial methane oxidation in near-bottom water layers ranged from 0.002 to 1.78 microliters/(1 day). Methanogens and methanotrophs were found to play an important role in the carbon cycle through all layers of sediments, particularly in the areas of methane vent and gas-hydrate occurrence.